Uruti

Uruti
Coordinates: 38°56′40″S174°31′42″E / 38.94444°S 174.52833°E / -38.94444; 174.52833 Coordinates: 38°56′40″S174°31′42″E / 38.94444°S 174.52833°E / -38.94444; 174.52833
Country	New Zealand
Region	Taranaki
District	New Plymouth District
Ward	North
Area [1]
• Total	934.3 km2 (360.7 sq mi)
Population  (2018) [2]
• Total	864
• Density	0.92/km2 (2.4/sq mi)

Uruti is a locality in northern Taranaki, in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located on State Highway 3, north-east of Mimi and south-west of Ahititi. The Uruti Stream meets the Mimi River at this point. The river flows past the settlement into the North Taranaki Bight. ^{[3] [4]}

A district nurse was appointed to serve the backblocks of the Uruti Valley in 1909. This was the first district nursing service in New Zealand. ^{[5] [6]}

The Uruti tunnel links the Uruti Valley with the main highway. It was completed in 1923 and is the longest and most unstable tunnel in Taranaki. ^[7]

The 1984 film Vigil was filmed at Uruti. ^[8] Much of the 2003 film The Last Samurai was filmed in the Uruti Valley, with Mount Taranaki/Egmont standing in for Mount Fuji. ^[9]

Demographics

The Uturi Stream, which runs next to the township.

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	756	—
2013	822	+1.20%
2018	864	+1.00%
Source: [2]

The Mount Messenger statistical area covers 934.3 km² (360.7 sq mi) and includes the localities of Mimi, Uruti, Ahititi and Tongapōrutu. ^[1] It had a population of 864 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 42 people (5.1%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 108 people (14.3%) since the 2006 census. There were 309 households. There were 441 males and 423 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.04 males per female. The median age was 42 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 216 people (25.0%) aged under 15 years, 117 (13.5%) aged 15 to 29, 420 (48.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 111 (12.8%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 88.2% European/Pākehā, 22.6% Māori, 1.0% Pacific peoples, 1.7% Asian, and 2.8% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities).

The proportion of people born overseas was 9.4%, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people objected to giving their religion, 54.9% had no religion, 32.3% were Christian, 0.3% were Hindu and 2.1% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 75 (11.6%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 162 (25.0%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $30,500, compared with $31,800 nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 333 (51.4%) people were employed full-time, 117 (18.1%) were part-time, and 21 (3.2%) were unemployed. ^[2]

Education

Uruti School is a coeducational full primary (years 1-8) school with a roll of 10 students as of November 2022. ^{[10] [11]} The school celebrated its centennial in 1998. ^[12]

Notes

1. "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
2. "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Mount Messenger (219200). 2018 Census place summary: Mount Messenger
3. Peter Dowling, ed. (2004). Reed New Zealand Atlas. Reed Books. pp. map 35. ISBN   0-7900-0952-8.
4. Roger Smith, GeographX (2005). The Geographic Atlas of New Zealand. Robbie Burton. pp. map 74. ISBN   1-877333-20-4.
5. Maclean, Hester (1932). "XVI. Back-Block District Nursing". Nursing in New Zealand: History and Reminiscences. pp. 86–87.
6. "MACLEAN, Hester, R.R.C.". Encyclopedia of New Zealand (1966) .
7. Bartle, Rhonda (17 February 2005). "Road Tunnels of Taranaki". Puke Ariki. Archived from the original on 17 May 2008. Retrieved 16 July 2008.
8. "Vigil film set". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand .
9. "The Last Samurai New Zealand Film Location". Tourism New Zealand. Archived from the original on 20 November 2008. Retrieved 8 July 2008.
10. "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
11. Education Counts: Uruti School
12. "Jubilees & reunions: Uruti School". Education Gazette New Zealand. 75 (17). 30 September 1996.^{[ dead link ]}

Further reading

General historical works

• Brooks, Glenwyss (comp.) (1995). How green was our valley: collected memories of Uruti. New Plymouth, [N.Z.]: Aries Print. ISBN   0-473-02685-6.

Business

• 1904-1954, golden jubilee / with the compliments of the Uruti Valley Co-operative Dairy Company, Limited. New Plymouth, [N.Z.]: Avery Print. 1954.

Schools

• Uruti School 60th jubilee: in conjunction with Messenger, Musker’s, Pehu: 16th-18th May 1958. Uruti, [N.Z.] ; New Plymouth, [N.Z.]: Jubilee Committee, 1958 ; Taranaki Daily News Co. Ltd. 1958.

• Wilson, Christine; Brooks, Glenwyss (comps.). Uruti School, 1898-1998: in celebration of 100 years. New Plymouth, [N.Z.]: Uruti School Centennial Committee. ISBN   0473059207.